Chapter 9 Flashcards
Race as a reality
- racial differences become important because people believe them to be.
- assigning people to racial groups has great social significance and people attach meaning to them
- in sociology terms, “race” is a category of people who share observable physical characteristics and whom others see as being a distinct group
- sociologists were concerned with how people react to physical characteristics and the impact the reactions have on individuals
ethnicity
The set of cultural characteristics that distinguishes one group from another group
Things about ethnicity
- ethnicity
- ethnic group
- ethnicity is based on characteristics such as national origin, religion, language, customs, and values
- ethnic groups must pass cultural beliefs and practices from generation to generation
- ethnic identity can cross racial or national boundaries
- ethnicity is based on cultural traits, while race is based on physical traits
Ethnic group
People who share a common cultural background and a common sense of identity
Things about minority groups
-although no particular physical feature or ethnic background is superior or inferior to any other, many sociologists recognize that people may place an arbitrary value on specific characteristics
Minority group
A group of people who-because of their physical characteristics or cultural practices-are singled out and treated unequally
-in this sense, the term minority has nothing to do with group size, but with the unequal standing in society in relation to a dominant group
Race as a myth
- many people think that humankind can be sorted into biologically distinct groups called races
- this idea suggests that there are “pure” examples of different races and that any person can belong to only one race (based on skin color, hair texture, physical characteristics, etc.)
- biologists, geneticists, and social scientists reject this view of race
- all people belong to the human species
- there are greater differences within racial groups than between racial groups.
Dominant group
The group that possesses the ability to discriminate by virtue of its greater power, privilege, and social status in a society
Dominant group in American society
White people with Northern European ancestry
Characteristics that distinguish minority groups
- possesses identifiable physical or cultural characteristics that differ from the dominant group
- recipients of unequal treatment at the hands of the dominant group
- member in the group is an ascribed status
- share a strong bond and sense of group loyalty
- tend to practice endogamy (marriage within the group)
Discrimination and prejudice
-the inequality experienced by minority groups are common across the globe
Things about discrimination
- discrimination
- can occur on an individual level or societal level
- legal discrimination
- institutionalized discrimination
Discrimination
The denial of equal treatment to individuals based on their group membership
Legal discrimination
Upheld by law
Institutionalized discrimination
Outgrowth of the structure of a society
Things about prejudice
- prejudice
- stereotype
- self-fulfilling prophecy
- racism
Prejudice
An unsupported generalization about a category of people
Stereotype
Over-simplified, exaggerated, or unfavorable generalization about a group
Self-fulfilling prophecy
A prediction resulting in behavior that fulfills the prophecy
Racism
The belief that one’s own race is superior
Robert k Merton
Argued that prejudice and discrimination are related, but do not always go hand-in-hand
- people combine them in four ways
* the active bigot
* the timid bigot
* the fair-weather liberal
* the all-weather liberal
The active bigot
The active bigot is prejudiced and openly discriminatory
The timid bigot
The timid bigot is prejudiced, but is afraid to discriminate because of societal pressures
The fair-weather liberal
The fair-weather liberal is not prejudiced but discriminates anyway because of societal pressure
The all-weather liberal
The all-weather liberal is not prejudiced and does not discriminate
Sources of discrimination and prejudice
- sociological explanations
- psychological explanations
- economic explanations
Sociological explanations
Prejudice are embedded in social norms
Psychological explanations
- prejudiced people have an authoritarian personality type
- prejudice may be a result of frustration and anger
- scapegoating
Scapegoating
Occurs when an innocent person or group is blamed for one’s troubles
Economic explanations
- prejudice arises out of competition for resources
- dominant group may encourage competition between minority groups in order to maintain its dominant status
Patterns of minority group treatment
- cultural pluralism
- assimilation
- legal protection
- segregation
- subjugation
- population transfer
- extermination
Cultural pluralism
A policy that allows each group within society to keep its unique cultural identity
-Switzerland is an example with three official languages
Assimilation
The blending of culturally distinct groups into a single group with a common culture and identity
Things about assimilation
- American idea of “melting pot”
- can happen informally or by force
Legal protection
The rights of minorities are protected by law
Things about legal protection
- the United States is an example
- includes affirmative action laws
Segregation
A policy that physically separates a minority group from the dominant group
Things about segregation
- “de jure” segregation is based on laws
- “de facto” segregation is based on custom and informal norms
Subjugation
-a practice whereby domination is maintained by force
Things about subjugation
- most extreme form is slavery
- south Africa’s system of apartheid is an example
Population transfer
-seperate of groups by transferring the minority population to a new territory
Things about population transfer
- “indirect” transfer occurs when the dominant groups makes life for minorities so miserable that they leave
- “direct” transfer involves using force to move people to new locations
Extermination
Most extreme; goal is elimination
Things about extermination
- genocide
- ethnic cleansing
Genocide
Is the goal of complete destruction of a minority group
-holocaust and Rwanda are examples
Ethnic cleansing
The combination of extermination and transferral.
-Serbia and Sudan are examples
The American dilemma
- the gap between what Americans claim to believe and how they actually behave
- Americans have not always lived up to the ideals of freedom and equality when dealing with minority groups
- the conflict dates back to colonial times
- minority groups have prospered in relation to how closely they adapt to the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) ideal
African Americans
- 12% of the population
- experiences historically shaped by slavery, discrimination, and segregation
- civil rights movement brought significant gains towards equality
- some negative trends in education, employment and income that reveal continuing inequality
- since 1965 legislation, the number of black representatives in government has grown quickly
- organizations such as the National Urban League work to empower African Americans
- group faces environmental racism
Environmental racism
Racial bias in environmental policies and practices
Hispanic Americans
- largest minority group
- trace their heritage to Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin Americans countries
- population of Hispanics is growing faster than general population
- 1960s: Hispanics in the United States were mostly from Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico
- central and South American immigrants now more common
- came to the United States to seek political freedom and economic opportunity
- estimates in 2014 that there are more than 11.3 million illegal immigrants in the United States; vast majority are Hispanic
- Hispanics now hold more than 6,000 appointed and elected positions
- poverty rate is double that of white Americans
Asian Americans
- 5% of the population
- earliest to arrive were Chinese and Japanese
- immigrants from most Asian countries are now here, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Pakistan
- projected to be 8 percent of population by 2050
- have used education to move economic ladder
- median income is higher for Asian Americans than for other groups
- some call Asian Americans “the model minority” because of their quick assimilation
- Asian Americans face higher rates of stress, depression, mental illness, and suicide attempts
Native Americans
- 2.9 million individuals
- original inhabitants of the United States
- disease, warfare, and destruction reduced numbers drastically
- U.S. government took traditional lands and forced Native Americans onto reservations
- policies encouraged assimilation into white culture
- today 55 percent are on reservations
- statistics reveal dire challenges for Native Americans populations (depression, suicide, alcoholics)
- pan-indianism
Pan-indianism
A social and political movement that united culturally distinct Native American nations to work together on issues that affect all Native Americans
Other minorities
White ethnics, Jewish Americans, and Arab americans
White ethnics
- were immigrants from the mainly catholic countries of Ireland, Italy, France, Poland, and Greece
- faced discrimination by the white Protestant majority
Jewish Americans
- focus their ethnic identity on their religion
- faced anti-semitism
Anti-semitism
discrimination and prejudice against Jews
Arab Americans
- 3.5 million Arab Americans
- face new discrimination after the Arab-led terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001
